USA and Vietnam (1964 - 1975) Part 4

The importance of Kent State
1. Caused wide spread shock in the USA
2. Went against a key right of America - the right to protest
3. The images from Kent Sate caused further protests and strikes against the war. And was condemmed across the World
4. Made President Nixon realise the Vietnam War could never be won with so much opposition from within
5. Some felt that the students were unpatriotic, however it showed that the main group that was expected to fight was against the war - making it difficult for the war to continue
The Fulbright Hearings
1. William Fulbright was the chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs m
  1. In 1971 the committee considered proposals and advce to end the war
    1. 22 people gave evidence or 'hearings'; including politicians and those who are against the war
      1. The most damming report came from John Kerry, representing the Vietnam Veterans Against the War group
        Gave details into the Winter Soldier Investigation (carried out by the veterans) - Inluded information about attrocities and war crimes committed with the full knowledge of officers
        Kerry finished with a question to the President
        "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"
2. Caused more protests against the war; but this time they were official
Tet Offensive
1. In 1968 despite the difficulty in fighting the vietcong he USA genuinely thought they were winning
2. There were over 1/2 million troops in vietnam, and ARVN was in control of the cities and the countryside was quite
3. over 100,000 vietcong had been killed in 1967
4. N Vietnam was experiencing blanket bombing from the US
5. The Attack
  1. 31st Jan 1968 during the celebrations the NVA and VC lauched an attack through out S Vietnam
    1. Cities and US Bases were attacked in a well organised attack
      1. This was a new tactic for the communists as it wasn't guerrilla warfare
    2. The aim was to end the war as quickly as possible
    3. The N Vietnamese hoped they would be supported by the S Vietnamese people and then overthrow the government and push the US troops out
    4. Over 100 places were attacked including; Hue Danang, and the S Vietnam capital - Saigon
      1. In Saigon the US Embassy was taken as well as other important locations such as the main radio station
        It took US and ARVN forces by suprise but the attack ended after 48 hours as there was no support, and the NVA and VC were taking heavy losses
Reaction to the Tet Offensive
1. US Military saw it as a victory as the attack had failed and over 30,000 VC had been killed - the VC didn't play a point in the war after that, leaving it to the NVA to fight - North Vietnam also agreed to take part in peace talks
2. The view of the American public was different - they saw the TV footage especially of the fight in Saigon which howed wide spread destruction; which was meant to be protected by the mighty American army who were winning
  1. To the people the war would never be won and should be ended as quickly as possible
3. Congress refused to allow a further 200,000 troops to 'finish the job'
4. LBJ chose not to run for a second term as president; leading to Nixon becoming president
  1. During the presidential campaign Nixon promised to end the war were as Hubert Humphry only promised to lower involvement

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USA and Vietnam (1964 - 1975) Part 4

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